Wraith (Amalgam Comics)

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caption=
comic_color=background:#c0c0c0
character_name=Wraith
real_name=Todd LeBeau
publisher=Amalgam Comics
debut=unknown (fake), "JLX" #1 (April 1996, real)
creators=Mark Waid
Gerard Jones
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
alliances=Shadow Guild Judgment League Avengers JLX
aliases=Gambit
powers=Merge his body with his own shadow, giving him enhanced strength and vitality. As a shadow, he can fly, as well as envelop enemies, showing them their dark side. Ability to charge matter with explosive bio-kinetic energy,
Hypnotic charm,
superhuman acrobat,
Skilled hand-to-hand combatant and strategist,
Master with a staff.

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Wraith is a fictional character and Amalgam Comics superhero whose true debut was in "JLX" #1 (1996), though his (metafictional) Amalgam Universe debut is still unknown. He is a combination of DC Comics' Obsidian and Marvel Comics' Gambit.

Character overview and history

JLA

Todd LeBeau was born twin brother to the girl who would become the Jade Enchantress, his sister Jennie. They were split up at birth, and while Todd found life in New Orleans, his sister grew up on New Asgard. In a New Orleans bar, Todd acquired some magic playing cards, which activated his metamutant abilities. With his newfound powers, Todd took the name of Wraith, and joined the Shadow Guild.

In the miniseries, "JLA: The New Blood", Wraith was among the first members recruited to the New Blood group of the Judgment League Avengers, along with Apollo and Firebird. They were actually assembled by Mister X in secret, though the New Blood members did not become aware of this until later on.

Wraith began a romantic relationship with fellow New Blood teammate Runaway, though he feared that with her power-absorption abilities, she was slowly absorbing more and more of his 'dark side', which Wraith believed would slowly but surely corrupt her. Wraith, along with the other New Blood teammates, were separated from the JLA when the Mariner was framed by Will Magnus, making the JLA think that the Mariner had destroyed some Roxxon oil tankers.

JLX

Wraith, along with Apollo, Firebird, Mercury, Runaway, and Nightcreeper were assembled into the JLX by Mister X. The team rescued the Mariner from his imprisonment. In "JLX" #1, Wraith and his fellow JLX teammates battled against the JLA until Angelhawk feigned an injury and both teams retreated. At this point, Wraith knew for sure that every time Runaway touched him, she was absorbing his darkness, which was slowly driving her insane. When Wraith and the JLX fought against Will Magnus and Jocasta, Wraith killed Jocasta after she attacked and injured Runaway. This event led Wraith to have a great hatred for Will Magnus, greater than most of the other metamutants on the JLX team.

During the Armageddon Agenda, the event in which Will Magnus got permission from the government to use his Sentinels to hunt metamutants, Wraith was one of the few metamutants to not be imprisoned or killed by the Sentinels. With the help of his old friends, the Shadow Guild, Wraith was able to slip away from the mayhem. His current whereabouts are unknown, and he was not a member of the second JLX team assembled by Amazon.

Powers and abilities

Wraith has various shadow-based powers. At will, Wraith can merge with his own shadow and possess the shadows of others. In his shadow form, he is stronger than in human form, can pass through solid objects and can fly.

Wraith's ability allows him to charge inanimate objects with unstable kinetic energy. This usually causes the object in question to detonate after a controlled time restraint

He often wields a telescopic metal staff, and is highly trained in martial arts, particularly the French kickboxing martial art Savate. He is a superhumanly acrobatic and athletic fighter. On several occasions he has also shown an ability to charm people through mild hypnosis.

Resources

* [http://www.geocities.com/schablotski.geo/Center.htm Amalgam Chronology Center]
* [http://geocities.com/theamalgam/index.html The Unofficial Guide to the Amalgam Universe]
* [http://www.io.com/%7Ewoodward/chroma/amalgam.html Who's Who: Handbook of the Amalgam Universe]